Forces United
by Kinz
Summary: Ginny and Draco haven't met since Hogwarts, where they used to date. They went their seperate ways when Draco graduated - Ginny became an Auror, Draco, a Death Eater. However, when Fate brings them together again, what's gonna happen? Could they have anot
1. Golden Girl

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything except the plot, and I'm not quite even sure I own that. Sure, I thought of it, but with the thousands of fanfics on FFN, I'm not sure that nobody else has thought of it.

Wow. _Another_ story. One that I actually have a couple chapters written! I have up to chapter five written already, and all thirty-five/forty chapters planned. I hope that I get past chapter eight this time! --; But really, if I don't update in two weeks, you have my full permission to review, email, telephone, snail mail, or otherwise harass me in order to get me to update. Or you can send your complaints to my friend Becki and she'll take care of all the nagging. God knows she does it enough anyways…

This is TOTALLY different than what I normally write. Actually, I don't usually even read post-Hogwarts fics, but this little plot bunny popped into my head late one night, or maybe it was during first hour, A-days when I'm in my "free period". (don't ask)

The chapter are short, especially the first two. The others get slightly longer, but on the whole they will be pretty short. Just to warn you. That's why I'm posting three tonight, and not just this one. The chapters will be in alternating PoVs - this one is Ginny, the next Draco, the next Ginny, the next Draco, etc...

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My name is Ginny Weasley; remember that. I am 21 years old, old enough (luckily) to be an Auror and part of the Order of the Phoenix. I graduated from a wizarding school – Hogwarts – four years ago, when I was 17. 

My life mostly revolves around my work. I have no time for any boyfriends or anything like that. I'm a bit antisocial, I guess, and I rarely spend time doing anything frivolous with anyone else. In fact, I rarely do anything frivolous, period.

If I wasn't so driven about my work, I suppose I could get a boyfriend. I'm not ugly; people even tell me I'm pretty. I have dark red hair that goes down to my shoulders. My eyes are a plain brown, and my face is slightly tanned from being outside so much doing Auror stuff. I'm short but fast and good at casting spells and curses.

The Order is a group of anti-Death Eaters, those who fight Voldemort and his minions. The more well-known people in it are Dumbledore, McGonagall, all my family, Harry, Hermione, and Snape. Other less-known people include Tonks and Mad-Eye Moody. Our sole purpose is to bring Voldemort down. Harry's going to be the main person to do that, as there's this stupid prophecy thing that states that one of them will kill the other. "Them", of course, referring to Harry and Voldemort. The rest of us get the job of fighting all the Death Eaters and Dark Creatures while Harry kicks Voldemort's butt.

My family, all part of the order, consists of my mum, Molly; my dad, Arthur; and my six brothers. In chronological order, they are Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, and Ron. I'm the youngest out of us seven, and the only girl. It's a pain at times, but at least I got my own room when we lived in the Burrow. Unfortunately, we now live in Number 12, Grimmauld Place, and I have to share a room with Hermione. Why we have to share a room, I don't know; she's 22 and I'm 21. Isn't that a bit old to share a room outside of a Muggle college when there are plenty of unused rooms in this old house?

We're living in Grimmauld Place right now because it's not safe to be in the outside world. Well, for us in the Order, anyway. Somehow the Death Eaters found out who half the Order is, or was, so we all have to stay in as much as we can.

I'm switching topics awfully fast, I know, but it's important stuff. I mean, this is my life. I have a right to ramble about it, right?

The last time I loved somebody in that way was when I was 16. I was dating my friends' worst enemy, Draco Malfoy, for a glorious eight-and-a-half month, but we had to break up when he graduated. It would never have worked anyway – his father, Lucius Malfoy, was forcing him to become a Death Eater, and I wanted to be an Auror. Draco's occupation goes entirely against my beliefs, even though I know he's not like that.

Ack, I sound like a lovesick puppy. I'm not like that at all. Really. I'm far too busy for the bitch they call "love".

That is, as long as I don't run into Draco.

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So short…. But I like the end. Review if you feel like it, but please at least add me to your favorites/author alert list. Because you love me:puppy dog eyes: 

**-Kinsey-**


	2. Ramblings of a Death Eater

**Disclaimer: God, do I have to do these all the time? I don't own Harry Potter or its related whatever. Really. I don't. **

OK, not much more to say. This chapter is in Draco's PoV. If you have any questions, leave them in a review or email me. My email's in me profile.

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My name is Draco Malfoy. I guess that that's the most important thing about my life: I am a Malfoy. That name is the most respected/feared name in the wizarding community. Except, of course, for my master, the Dark Lord. We do not utter his real name; he has forbade it and the Dark Lord always knows.

So there you are. I am one of the Dark Lord's many followers. My father, Lucius Malfoy, is also a Death Eater, and is the one who got me into the Dark Arts. He is the one who gave Ginny Weasley an enchanted diary, one that held the Dark Lord's memory in the form of a 16-year-old. She opened the Chamber of Secrets and almost gave her life for my master. She would have died, and my master would have become more than mere memory, had it not been for the Wonder Boy, Harry Potter.

Harry Potter is my nemesis, my archrival, my enemy. He has thwarted the Dark Lord so many times that he deserves to die. He survived the Dark Lord every year at Hogwarts, when he was born, and numerous times post-Hogwarts. He was part of the Golden Trio of Gryffindor back at school, his best friends being the Weasel and the Mudblood. Oh, I don't call them that anymore; I've matured enough to not name-call. I haven't run into any of them for years, and I prefer to keep it that way, although the Dark Lord is eager to kill them and therefore I must keep an eye out for them.

Unfortunately, not seeing them means not knowing how Ginny Weasley is. She was my girlfriend for my last year at Hogwarts, and was the only girl I actually dated and liked. (Pansy Parkinson didn't count; although beautiful, she was far too slutty for my tastes.)

Ginny, though… she was like a breath of fresh air, with her innocence and naivety, even though she was a Gryffindor. My father and friends strongly disapproved, but strangely enough they decided to let it go. It wasn't like my father at all; if he didn't like something, he'd get rid of it. Slowly. Painfully.

I look like my father, people tell me. And it's true, mostly: we have the same white blond hair and grey eyes. Ginny once called my eyes "stormy" grey. We're both built tall and strong, and we both have angular features on our faces. But there is where it ends. Our personalities differ greatly. He loves the Dark Arts like I should, but while I find the Dark Arts fascinating, killing people isn't really my thing. I joined the Death Eaters at my father's undeniable command, and now I must be loyal to my master for ever and eternity.

I wonder if I must worship him in Hell.

Don't think I'm a softy, though, just because I don't enjoy killing people; I still do it without question or regret. I torture Muggles and Mudbloods just like the others. I've adapted to my new life of five years past.

Five years since I last saw her. It's been five years of hell.


	3. Knockturn Alley

**Disclaimer: Oh, screw it. Y'all know I don't own HP or anything like it. Deal if you don't.**

OK… this is the first REAL chapter. Bleh.

WARNING: THERE IS SLIGHT ATTEMPTED RAPE IN THIS CHAPTER. There is nothing too bad; I'm letting Becki read it, so it's not that bad. She didn't even go 'EWWWW'! That's a good sign, if you were wondering. ::winks::

OK, Ginny's PoV. Bleh again.

---NOTE: This chapter has been updated for grammar, spelling, and ideas. It's basically the same thing, so don't worry, in case you were.---

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**Ginny's PoV**

"Ginevra Molly Weasley!" I heard my mom shout for the fourth time from the kitchen. She was really getting annoyed now, seeing as how I was trying to ignore her. I was on the third floor in Hermione and my room and I could still hear her, sadly enough.

"What?" I shouted back irritably. Geez, we were lucky to be able to shut Mrs. Black up. With all the shouting and screaming that went on in that house, she'd probably have laryngitis by now, not to mention be sleep-deprived from staying awake at all hours of the night to scream at us.

"Professor Dumbledore would like to speak with you, dear!"

_What is he doing here?_ I wondered as I pushed back my chair and ran downstairs, hurriedly tying my hair into a messy bun.

"Yes?" I asked, neatly skidding to a stop in front of the table where Professor Dumbledore was sitting. Mum rolled her eyes but didn't reprimand me for running.

"Hello, Miss Weasley," Dumbledore started. I slid into a chair across from Dumbledore, facing him and running a hand through my hair absently.

"Hey," I said. I heard Mum bustle over to the sink to clean the dinner dishes.

"Miss Weasley, the current situation regarding the Dark is growing grave. I assume you know this?"

"Yes…" This was what I had been writing my report about. Dumbledore knew that I know, so why was he asking?

"Harry will need all the help he can get, whether it be from a human, spell, or potion."

I nodded. Get on with it; I don't have all day.

"We are going to attempt to make the Koreolas potion. Do you know what that specific potion does?"

I shook my head. I had never even heard of that potion, and I considered myself rather well-versed in potions. It had, after all, been my best subject in school.

"I didn't think so. It's a very rare potion and has multiple effects. It helps with Occlumancy, Legilimency, and improves spell power. It also improves accuracy and speed. The Koreolas potion is extremely precise and very difficult to make. We need certain ingredients, however, and the others are too busy to find them. I believe they can all be found in Knockturn Alley. Will you go and look for them?

"Of course," I said, and I meant it. I was telling the truth when I said I was very involved in my work. He smiled at me, handed me a list, and left without so much as a 'thank you'. Hmph.

I took a list at the list and my eyes grew wide. A boggart's foot? How the heck do you get one of those? There were all sorts of weird and/or disturbing items, but I steeled myself to bid goodbye to Mum and Apparate (once outside the house) to Knockturn Alley.

I landed in a dark alley, which I quickly walked out of. Dark alleys were not the best place for a girl to be alone at night. Come to think of it, the whole of Knockturn Alley wasn't safe, period.

I scanned the street and headed towards the potions shop that seemed to sell rather… controversial… ingredients. As I walked, I had the oddest feeling that someone was fallowing me. I hated that place; it was pure evil.

When I finally got to the store, the feeling stopped. I wandered further into the dimly-lit shop, suppressing a shudder as I passed by a severed human hand on a blood-stained purple velvet pillow.

I got to the back of the store where the ingredients I needed were. I gathered my ingredients and paid for them at the counter.

I exited the store and the feeling of being followed returned. Now I really did shudder as I hurried along back to my normal Apparation point. My suspicions that someone was following me were confirmed as a strong hand grabbed my arm from behind and another covered my mouth. I tried to scream, but the sound was stillborn due to his hand. A voice whispered in my ear while I struggled to knee him (I assumed it was a he) where it hurts, or at least to get free, "There's no one to save you… no one to hear you scream."

What a cliché.

I licked his hand but he kept it on my mouth until he muttered '_Silencio_' and I found myself unable to make a sound. He pulled me into the dark alley that had been my destination in the first place.

The first thing he did was put an Anti-Apparation charm on me. That's when I really panicked, knowing that my last escape route was gone. Then came the ropes, wrapping themselves around my wrists and tying them together.

_Whoever's up there… help me…_

But nobody was coming, and he came closer, chuckling softly. I still couldn't tell who it was; it was so dark that I could only see his outline. I wasn't known for looking at men's bodies, and the only one I really ever bothered to look at was Draco's. With clothes on only. And this was _not_ Draco.

"Oh, what is a girl like yourself doing in a place like this all alone at night?"

I glared at his outline and he pushed me roughly against the stone wall and pressed his body against mine. My eyes widened as he pressed ever closer to me, his hands first on my chest, and then traveling down. Squirming didn't help much, and my hands were still tied.

Suddenly, thankfully, his body was ripped off me. I stood, rooted to the spot, as the second person stunned my attacker. I would have laughed in relief had I had a voice. I slowly, hesitantly, stepped away from the wall and edged towards the moonlit street.

"Wait a second," I heard a voice drawl. I froze once again but did not turn around. I knew that voice.

"Let me see which fair maiden I rescued from him this time. And you'd better be a pureblood, or I'll wake him back up."

I stood still. It didn't really matter if he saw me; he was as untouchable now as he had been way back in school.

He pushed me into the moonlight but stayed in the shadows. He crossed his arms when he saw me, although it was hard for me to see.

"And what are you doing here, Miss Ginevra Weasley?"

I gestured to my throat with my bound hands and he took out his wand, pointed it at me, and whispered, "_Finite_." The conjured ropes disappeared along with the silencing charm.

"Mr. Draco Malfoy, that's not your business," I said. He stepped into the moonlight too. I could see his long blond hair glimmering in the light, it falling over his eye artistically. He was wearing plain black robes, but they seemed empty without a Slytherin emblem attached. He smirked.

"Miss Ginny, this is my domain and I just saved your life, or at least your virginity, assuming you still have it… what are you going to do for me?"

There was the Draco I knew and loved.

"Draco, you know I'm still poor and you're a wealthy Death Eater. Me doing anything for you beyond not stunning you and taking you in would never work."

"And just what are you suggesting?'

"Nothing," I said hastily. "What do you want from me?"

"Come here," he said quietly. When I eyed him suspiciously, he rolled his eyes and added, "Come on, you can trust me, promise."

He doesn't promise things for nothing, so I walked over to him and he put his arms gently around me. I returned the favor, burying my face in his chest. A few tears slid out from behind my closed eyes and embedded themselves in his robes. We stayed like that for a few seconds before he pulled away and held me at arm's length.

"Why are you crying, Ginny?" he asked. "Are you OK?"

I shrugged. "Well, let's see. I just got nearly raped by some freak, and then my savior turns out to be my ex boyfriend who I haven't seen in five years! I missed you! Do you know how hard it's been for me, not knowing whether you were alive or dead, knowing that whatever you do could result in your death? I've thought about you every day for five years, so I think I have a damn good reason to be crying."

"Don't cry," he said firmly. "Don't waste your tears. Goodness knows you'll need them in this war."

I rubbed my forearm across my eyes and leaned back into Draco. He wrapped his arms around me for a second and then pushed me away. Hard.

"Gin, we can't do this. If anyone sees us, we'll both be dead. Apparate back home, wherever that may be, before anyone sees you."

I swallowed and nodded, getting one last look of a moon-bathed Draco before Apparating back to outside Number 12, Grimmauld Place. It wasn't until I had Apparated that I realized that 1.) My hair was all mussed up from the attack and when Draco had run his hand through it, 2.) I had forgotten my ingredients in all the confusion, and 3.) I was smiling, really smiling, for the first time in five years.


	4. Avada Kedavra

**Disclaimer: **I. Do. Not. Own. Harry. Potter. Deal with it.

OK, well… here's a Draco chapter for you. I'm really not sure how well I'm doing keeping them in character, but I'm attempting to keep Draco at least a _little_ evil. I don't think it's working very well, though. Oh well; tell me what you think! Leave a review and make me happy!

---NOTE: This chapter has been updated for spelling, grammar, and ideas. Hopefully, this will be more in line with canon.--

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**Draco's PoV**

Wow.

I really never thought I'd see her again. Really, I expected to only meet her in battle, if anything. But saving her from a crazed lunatic and getting a chance to really look at her – that's something I never expected to do in this lifetime.

Even in the dark she was beautiful. She had cut her hair so that it fell down to her shoulders in a wave of (so I guessed) red hair. Ginny was still petite and skinny, but she looked stronger before –

All of a sudden, my right upper arm started stinging. Gahhh…

I apparated directly to the graveyard that we used as our meeting place. At least fifteen cloaked and hooded figures were already there and more were appearing. I took my place next to my father in the semicircle that curved around the Dark Lord.

"Well…" a shrill, high voice said. "I see empty spaces. Zabini is in Azkaban, he will be justly rewarded when the dementors switch their loyalties to me. There are more empty spaces; they will be severely punished. Bring them to me when they are found."

Nobody dared to break the half-circle and he continued talking.

"Since you have been so efficient lately, I got you a treat. Bring them in."

Crabbe and Goyle Juniors appeared, dragging a family of six behind them: a father, a mother, three girls of varying ages, and a small boy of about one year old. They all looked terrified as hell and the youngest girl and the boy were crying. The other girls were teenaged and probably twins, I decided, and the younger girl looked to be around five. They were undoubtedly Muggles.

"Do with them as you please," the Dark Lord hissed and fifth Death Eaters closed in a circle around the family. The parents bravely but foolishly stepped in front of their children.

"Don't touch them," the father snarled, the tremor in his voice betraying his "calm" demeanor. There was a collective laugh from the assembled crowd.

"Don't think we won't get your children too, Muggle," a Death Eater told the parents. One of the male Death Eaters grabbed one of the teenage girls from behind the parents and dragged her to the center of the circle. She was fighting tooth and nail to get free, but the Death Eater held her tight. She bit him hard and he let her go only to grab his wand and mutter, "_Crucio_." The girl started to scream in agony and writhe on the ground while her family watched, horrorstruck. The younger kids were hiding their faces and whimpering while the mom tried to run to her daughter's aid. However, her feet wouldn't move, thanks to a cleverly done charm by Bellatrix Lestrange.

Meanwhile, the girl was still being tortured with the infamous torture curse. It was approaching one and a half minutes, and she was holding out surprisingly well for a teenage Muggle girl, but she couldn't stay sane for much longer. The longest time I've seen anyone last under the curse without going insane is three minutes, and that was a full grown wizard.

As I watched, her eyes rolled back in her head as she fainted from the pain. When the curse was taken off, and she regained consciousness, she started babbling, obviously insane. With an annoyed sigh, the Death Eater killed her with _Avada Kedavra_. We Death Eaters don't have much patience with insane people. She had it coming, anyway.

The rest of the family was annihilated in the same way, including the baby. Yeah, Death Eaters _are_ that cruel, and we don't have a problem with it.

After they were dead and their bodies taken away, the Dark Lord cleared his throat, a horrible, screeching sound.

"I trust you all enjoyed your little treat?"

A chorus of "yes, master," and "thank you, master," rang out and people scurried up to kiss the hem of our master's robes. I, of course, stayed where I was, along with my father and other highly-ranked Death Eaters.

"However, fun is not the reason I called you here tonight. Tomorrow is the eighth anniversary of my rebirth. In honor, there will be a raid on a Muggle town tomorrow night. I expect you to come when I call you, no later. You wouldn't want to miss it, would you?" At their head shaking, he finished, "Good. Now, I think this meeting is over. You are dismissed."

I was unusually relieved that it was over. Normally I would enjoy something like this – it kinda grows on you – but that night all I could think about was the red-haired angel I saved earlier.

Please don't kill me ::cowers:: Especially for having it so short! Next one's longer, promise! Honestly!


	5. Raids and Letters

**Disclaimer:** I'm not even going to try to do anything funny here. I don't own Harry Potter and that's the long and short of it. The only thing that I own is my own novel. Oh, and the short stories I had published in a writing fair thing. I own those too! Yay!

Zomg. I'm so sorry, guys. For those of you who actually remember this story… bravo. For those of you who don't or are new readers… bravo to you too. So anyway, I'm so sorry. It's been almost 2 years. That's unforgivable to me, so I'm extremely sorry. If you are all very mad at me, I totally understand. But at least I'm updating… I was looking through my old stories and came across this one. I was like, "Oh yeah! I remember this! Hey, it's not that bad…" so I edited it a bit, and started writing chapter 7. (Yes, I am that far. I don't know why I never posted this and chapter 6…) So yeah. Here we are. Read? Review? Thanks.

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**Ginny's PoV**

The next day was spent sleeping. Hey, getting attacked and meeting someone for the first time in five years in the same night is tiring, OK? Anyway, I had to go down to the kitchen to eat around six-thirty. w00t. It was interesting; at least it was until the topic changed to me.

"So, Gin, why were you so late getting home last night?" Ron asked with his mouth full of steak and kidney pie.

I shrugged. "Took me a while to find the ingredients."

Which was a complete lie, but I wasn't going to tell them about Draco. They wouldn't like it too much. However, I did quickly (and uneventfully) Apparate back to the dark alley and pick up the ingredients after I noticed I had forgotten them.

"Yeah, and your hair was all messy," Harry chipped in. I rolled my eyes.

"I ran my hand through it, stupid."

"Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh'. I'm going to finish my report for Professor Dumbledore," I said, pushing back my chair.

"Uh-uh-uh," my mum said, shaking her head. "We're having a meeting in a few minutes. Now clear the table if you're so willing to work."

I sighed a long-suffering sigh and banished all the plates, whether the people eating off of them were done or not, over to the counter. This provoked a lot of angry muttering, but it stopped after they got a death glare from me. "Now what?"

"Off to bed, you," Mum said to Bill and Fleur's child, Olivia. Did I forget to say that they have a little six-year-old girl that looks exactly like her mother but with Bill's red hair? She's adorable and we all love her to death and spoil her tremendously. Olivia was now pouting.

"Do I hafta go? Don't wanna go."

"Yes, Liv, you have to go," Bill said, swinging her onto his shoulders, and carried her upstairs. When he came back, we cast the usual charms and spells on the door and windows and got started.

It wasn't until halfway through the meeting that I noticed that Snape was gone. Not that I missed him or anything (my personal opinion was that he should go jump off a cliff and stop terrorizing little eleven-year-olds), but he was an important part of the Order. Unfortunately. And he was never late for a meeting unless…

Snape appeared just as I was wondering where he was, making a dramatic entrance as always by storming through the door like a madman, stopping just in front of Dumbledore. Snape started talking to the old man in a low, hushed voice while the rest of us strained to hear like a little kindergartener eavesdropping on his or her friends discussing their birthday present. Finally they stopped talking and Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"Ahem. Severus has brought us some interesting news for us," he announced. The room fell dead silent. We all knew that when Snape had news, interesting news in particular, it was almost always bad. I swear, that man was incapable of being the bearer of good news.

"Tonight, as some of you know, is the eighth anniversary of Voldemort's" – people shuddered – "rebirth. In honor, he has organized a raid on a Muggle village for tonight. Once we get the signal, those of you capable will Apparate to the village and capture as many Death Eaters as you can.

People nodded by remained silent, waiting for the signal. Suddenly, Snape put his hand to his right upper arm and nodded to Dumbledore. Dumbledore shouted one word – the name of the village – and we Apparated to the village.

It was chaos when we got there. People were screaming, kids were crying, dogs were barking, and above all, curses were ringing out through the night.

We got to work right away, some of us taking out the Death Eaters and some taking care of the Muggles who were still alive. I was the appointed caretaker of the children. My job was simple – heal and protect the children if at all possible.

At the moment, I was healing a little boy's leg. He was about the age of Olivia, and it made me sick, even after three years of being an Auror, to think that a kid that age would have to face horrors like that raid. Suddenly, his face turned terrified and he started stuttering unintelligibly. I turned around in time to hear someone mutter "Crucio!" and had just enough time to fling myself in front of the little kid and intercept the curse.

I despise my noble tendencies.

I was fairly used to that particular curse – we had to be able to withstand torture in my line of work – but I hadn't been able to fully throw it off yet like Harry could. Hence, it still forced me to my knees. I remained aware of my surroundings, so I was, on some level, aware that the kid was crying and screaming for help. For me. Humanity never ceased to amaze me when I least expected it to.

After what seemed like forever, the curse was lifted. I slowly stood up and faced the hooded and masked figure.

"If you touch them, any of them, I will kill you," I snarled, picking up my wand from where it had fallen on the muddy ground, and pointed the wand at the person. The assembled children crowded behind me and peeked out as the Death Eater walked towards me, keeping his wand trained on me. I tried to back up but I almost tripped over the kids.

"I don't think you'd kill me, would you, Ginny?" he (now I knew it was a he) murmured in my ear. I stiffened.

"Draco," I acknowledged quietly. I could imagine him smirking below that hood.

"Very good. Now get out of here."

"_What_?"

"You heard me. Get out of here or you'll be killed. Hell, _I'll_ kill you if you don't leave. We're under orders to kill everyone."

"Draco, I'm not leaving. I don't care if I get killed; I can't leave the children. Besides, if they catch you, they'll throw you in Azkaban."

As he was about to answer, I saw Ron sprinting towards me.

"Quick!" I hissed urgently. "Stun me?"

"What?" he asked with confusion laced in his voice.

"Just do it! Stun me and Disapparate! I'll be fine. Do it!"

Draco stepped away from me and called out, "_Stupefy_!"

My last thought as I drifted into darkness: _He trusted me…_

When I woke up, my first thought was, "Is Draco OK?" I didn't say it aloud, of course. My first words were, so eloquently put, "Mmph."

I got up after that; the worst thing that stunning does besides knock you out is make you sore. I hadn't be out for long, I surmised, since people were still fighting, so I wasn't very sore. I accepted a quick hand up from Tonks and set off to stun, kill, capture, or otherwise harm the remaining Death Eaters. Whichever method was easiest at the time.

I kept an eye out for Draco, but I couldn't see him, much to my delight. Not seeing him equaled him being safe. And that was a very good thing.

We finished with the Death Eater quite quickly, since there were less of them and more of us – I wasn't the only one protecting the Muggles, and since the Death Eaters were focusing mostly on us and not the Muggles, we were free to fight without shirking our jobs. As soon as we had brought the few Death Eaters we had captured to their holding cells at the Ministry and had gone back to Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Ron walked up to me.

"Hey, Gin, you alright?" he asked.

"OF course I'm OK. I'm always OK!" I snapped. Why was it that meeting Draco always made me crabby to everyone but him?

"Right, Ginny, you're always OK. Riiiight."

"I _am_!"

"Dear, I think you should go to bed. It's late," Mum said, coming up behind me. I glanced at the clock.

"It's only five in the morning, Mum. I'm a big girl now; I know when I need to go to bed," I said, ending in a tremendous yawn. Mum and Ron exchanged looks involving a lot of smirking and eye-rolling. I scowled. "Fine, but it's only fair that Ron goes to bed too."

"Ginny, you're acting like a little kid," Mum scolded. I put on my best little-kid puppy-dog pout.

"Ronniekins has to go to bed too."

"Ronniekins has work to do," Ron said smugly.

"Well, so does Ginny!" I snapped.

"Oh, both of you, go to bed," Mum said tiredly, rubbing her eyes.

"But-" Ron protested.

"No buts. You may be an adult legally, but I'm your mum and I can still boss you around. Go to bed."

Ron stomped up the stairs like he was eleven again and I followed, much calmer, in his wake.

When I got to my room, there was a plain bit of parchment on my pillow. I walked over to it and picked it up, looking at it curiously. Words appeared on the paper before my eyes, making me almost drop it in surprise. I quickly scanned the paper before read it carefully and slowly from the top.

_Dear Ginny,_

_I charmed this parchment permanently to only have the words appear when you hold it. I'm sorry if it startled you; it was essential._

_What I really wanted to say was thank you. You know I don't say that often, so don't make me do it again._

_You saved me from Azkaban, and now I owe you. If you need to find me for a very important reason that you _really_ need me for, put your wand on the parchment and say 'transport'. It only works on you, and it can tell the reason. If the reason's not good enough, nothing will happen. I can't have Aurors invading my home, can I? I would have to kill them and you wouldn't want that, would you?_

It was unsigned, but it was obvious who it was from. I dropped the letter on my desk, watching as the words instantly faded, leaving a completely word-less sheet of parchment. The door opened behind me and I quickly dropped the letter into the desk drawer.

"Ginny, I'm going to bed," Hermione said from behind me. "Could you go to bed too, so that the lights can go out and it'll be quiet?"

"Sure, Hermione," I muttered, stepping away from the desk and getting out my pajamas.

I fell asleep at around six in the morning, drifting off while thinking about Draco's letter.

Falling asleep thinking of him was beginning to be a habit.


End file.
